Salem man held in stabbing of former tenants

Kevin Howell

khowell@salemnews.net

LISBON — An Aug. 29 preliminary hearing was set in county Municipal Court for a Salem man charged with allegedly stabbing two people on Thursday. Ryan Wilson, 29, Barclay Avenue, Salem, is charged with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and two counts of felonious assault, second-degree felonies.

Salem officers responded to his home at 5:38 p.m. Thursday where he allegedly stabbed former tenants Eric Collins and Elijah Beiling in the driveway after they returned to collect personal belongings.

According to Detective Dave Talbert, the men began to argue when Wilson attempted to stab Collins multiple times while he was in the vehicle and then stabbed Beiling multiple times when he attempted to run away and call for help.

The two victims were transported to the Salem hospital, then one was transferred to St. Elizabeth’s Health Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Talbert said BCI&I assisted with the investigation, during which police found the blade of a wood handled kitchen knife in a fire, which was burning in the back yard of the house. The knife matched the description given by two stabbing victims.